


Made With Love

by Rainbow_Whale_Shark



Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Gay, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 15:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18524446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rainbow_Whale_Shark/pseuds/Rainbow_Whale_Shark
Summary: A coffee shop AU in which Dolce is an introverted baker who has fallen for Clorica, a regular customer.





	Made With Love

The bell jingled as the door to the café opened, inviting in the cool autumn air and an eccentric, purple-haired customer. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she was there, and without a doubt, she would order a small coffee with a shot of espresso and whichever pastry was advertised for the day. Halfway through the coffee, her head would end up on the table, and she would nap for nearly forty-five minutes. None of the staff made an attempt to wake her; she seemed to be more than content, always tipped well, and didn't bother the other customers. 

“Welcome! Will you be getting your usual, Clorica?” Xiao Pai greeted her customer with a smile and gestured to the pastry of the day. “Our special is the strawberry cream cake that the chef worked very hard creating, yes?”

“Hmm, that sounds good.” Clorica spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice almost dreamy. “I'll get a small coffee with a shot of espresso with that.” Xiao nodded, telling Leon to relay this order to the kitchen as Clorica took her seat by the window. 

“Hey Dolce! That woman is here again today, why don't you talk to her?” Leon, ever the busybody, decided to taunt Dolce about her crush on the unusual customer instead of doing his job. 

“I think I'll make the national news tonight. ‘Man murdered with a piping bag’.” Leon's smirk dwindled and he made himself scarce, not wanting to further anger the pastry chef. With a steady hand, Dolce piped whipped cream onto the delicate sponge cake, layering the fresh, strawberries one slice at a time. 

“It's done. Someone take the order.” Though she was stoic, Dolce was a caring person, and no matter how much she denied it, it was clear she had a thing for Clorica. Unfortunately, Dolce couldn't muster up the courage to act upon her feelings; past experiences left her untrusting and jaded. 

“Hey, that cake looks different than the rest you sent out, just like on Thursday.” Dylas always noticed the tiny details Dolce added to the pastries for Clorica. Small flecks of dried strawberry dusted the surface and the whipped cream was piped in a rosette instead of a simple dollop. “It looks nice, I'm rooting for you.” Before the flustered Dolce could say anything, Dylas disappeared into the pantry to pretend to take inventory. 

Leon swooped in to serve the cake, his usual grin once again on his face. “I'll let you know what she thinks!” Dolce merely sighed in response. Everyone was always too lively for her taste, but they meant well. 

“One small coffee and a strawberry cake, chef's special. Enjoy!” Leon placed the order down in front of Clorica and waited for her critique. 

“Chef's special…what's the special part?” To answer her own question, she took a bite of the cake and felt a smile spread across her face. “Well that is something special indeed! Every time I come here I end up with something a little different than everything else. Why is that?”

Leon covered his grin with a menu, fully prepared to expose Dolce. “Looks like our pastry chef has taken a liking to you. But this is the only way she knows how to express her feelings.”

“I see. Well I can't accept her feelings, since she hasn't told me herself.” She looked up at Leon, serene as always. “Could you please bring her out here?” 

“May I tell you a few things I think you should know about Dolce?” The concern in Leon's voice worried Clorica, but she agreed. “If you have a problem with any of this, please let me know. We all care a lot about her, and none of us want to see her hurt again.” Clorica agreed again, and by the time Leon was done, she had found nothing wrong with the introverted pastry chef. 

“I want to meet her. Even more now than before. She sounds like a wonderful person.” Clorica took a sip of coffee, wanting to be fully awake for this meeting. 

Leon nodded, retreating to the kitchen once more. “Dolce! She wants to speak with you.” Dolce felt her heart skip a beat, and she promptly dropped the orange she was zesting. 

“She wants to talk to me? I don't…alright, I'll go.” She untied her apron and removed her hat, nervously fidgeting the entire time over. “You asked to see me?” 

“So you're my secret admirer then. Have a seat.” Clorica gestured to the seat across from her, and as Dolce sat down, she felt uncharacteristically shy. “You make wonderful pastries, you know.” Dolce nodded without making eye contact. “Do you have something to say to me?” 

Dolce finally looked at Clorica, swallowing before she spoke. “I like you. I admire how you go about life always with a smile. Granted, all I know about you is what I've heard from the staff, but you seem to be a genuinely kind and caring person. You are…the kind of person I've always wanted to be. Even if you don't return my feelings, I wish you the best in life.”

Clorica didn't know what to say to this, so she settled on reaching across the table and placing her hand on Dolce's, who felt very vulnerable after pouring her heart out. “That's a really good start. I can tell that you've been hurt before, so I know this is a big step for you. I see the good in you too, Dolce. I think you have a lot of trouble expressing your life, but you have a big heart. If you will have me, I'd like to get to know even more about you.”

Was Dolce dreaming? There was no way someone would be willing to love her with all of her flaws.

“If you're playing a joke on me, I'm afraid it's not very humorous.” With an unreadable expression, Dolce calmly put herself down.

Clorica found this unacceptable. For someone to think so little of themself upset her deeply. She made those feelings known before Dolce could say anything else. 

“Stop that! You are a person worthy of affection just as much as anyone else. If I said something, it means I meant it. Don't talk bad about anyone, including yourself.” Clorica's outburst shook something within Dolce, who finally dropped her guard. 

“I think…that was something I really needed to hear. Thank you, Clorica.” Dolce cracked a smile, the first one in a long time. This was only the beginning of her healing process, but Dolce knew that she would flourish with Clorica, and Clorica knew as well.


End file.
